BTS' 'IDOL,' Featuring Nicki Minaj, Debuts at No. 11 on Billboard Hot 100

9/4/2018 by Gary Trust

Courtesy of BigHit Entertainment
BTS

The song, from BTS' new Billboard 200 leader "Love Yourself: Answer," launches as the Hot 100's second-highest-charting K-pop hit, after the group's No. 10-peaking "Fake Love" in June.

BTS' "IDOL," featuring Nicki Minaj, soars in at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated Sept. 8), arriving as the second-highest-charting K-pop hit in the chart's archives. The group holds the mark with its No. 10 hit "Fake Love," which debuted and peaked at No. 10 in June.

"IDOL" is from BTS' new No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Love Yourself: Answer, the act's second leader, which opens with 185,000 equivalent album units, according to Nielsen Music.

The song starts at No. 1 on the Digital Song Sales chart with 43,000 downloads sold in the week ending Aug. 30. BTS previously led the list with "Fake Love," which premiered with 29,000 in June.

"IDOL" marks BTS' fourth total Hot 100 appearance. Before "Fake Love," "DNA" hit No. 67 last October, while "MIC Drop," featuring Desiigner, debuted and peaked at No. 28 in December. The latter song brought BTS' best sales week for a song (45,000 upon its debut, narrowly out-performing the start of "IDOL").

"IDOL" begins at No. 11 on Streaming Songs, with 24.4 million first-week U.S. streams in the week ending Aug. 30. ("Fake Love" debuted and peaked at No. 7, with 27.4 million.) The track is bubbling under the Pop Songs radio airplay chart, led by instant support at reporters Radio Disney (59 plays in the week ending Sept. 2), KJYO Oklahoma City (28) and KDDB Honolulu (22).

"IDOL" is Minaj's 98th Hot 100 entry, extending her record for the most visits among women.

As previously reported, Drake's "In My Feelings" notches an eighth week at No. 1 on the Hot 100. Among his six career No. 1s, he has now led for 47 total weeks, tying Usher for the most time at the top among male soloists. Plus, Khalid and Normani's "Love Lies" rises 11-9, becoming Khalid's second top 10 and first in a lead role and Normani's first as a soloist, apart from Fifth Harmony.

All charts, including the streaming, airplay and sales-based Hot 100, will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Sept. 5).